Bonjour BNIC!

On our trip to Cognac I learned many things about Cognac and its production. One aspect i found very interesting was the regulation of cognac its governing body the BNIC. The Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac is the regulating body that is payed for and supported by the cognac distillers and merchants involved in its production. Located in Cognac France the BNIC employees nearly 100 people to regulate, market, and educate on all things Cognac. From the picking dates of the grapes, to what your allowed to print on the label(V.S, V.S.O.P, etc…) the BNIC regulates. All distilling houses and merchants pay a fee to support the BNIC. These members vote among themselves to see who sits on which boards that set the many cognac standards. These standards are then implemented and enforced by the BNIC. Board members are not payed to sit on these boards though they do have an active voice on the future direction of the product.
From the grape picking period, labeling statements, aging period standards, educating, and marketing of cognac(though not the marketing of each individual brand) the BNIC is involved. For more information on cognac and the BNIC, these web sites may be helpful. WWW.cognac.fr, www.encyclopedie.cognac.fr, and www.conference.
A special thanks to Laurine Caute of the BNIC for an interview.